Open Prompt #2

1980. A recurring theme in literature is the classic war between a passion and responsibility. For instance, a personal cause, a love, a desire for revenge, a determination to redress a wrong, or some other emotion or drive may conflict with moral duty. Choose a literary work in which a character confronts the demands of a private passion that conflicts with his or her responsibilities. In a well-written essay show clearly the nature of the conflict, its effects upon the character, and its significance to the work.

Some of the most tragic love stories involve a hero or heroine who cannot be with their loved one. Just this happens to poor Walter Hartright in Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White, he falls in love with his drawing student, Laura, who is already engaged. Walter suffers privately in his quiet love for Laura as it conflicts with both her promises to her fiance and his promises to his employer, her uncle. Collins uses intense detail to show the apparent hopelessness of Walter's situation which emphasizes the universal tragedy of separated lovers. 

Walter first falls in love with Laura when he is instructing her and her sister, Marian, in drawing at their home at Limmeridge House. Although she is engaged, Laura's fiance, Sir Percival Glyde, is absent from their lives and he is allowed to quietly admire her, while struggling privately with his love for her and his more obligations to treat her as nothing more than a student. Collins uses imagery to highlight Walter's feelings for Laura. They sit in a lovely garden, in full bloom, as he helps her with a drawing. There he notices her soft features, her gentle smile, and her delicate hands. He admires her blonde hair and fair complexion as she focuses on her work. The details given of Laura and the beautiful nature around her show Walter's intense emotion and love for her. Conflicting with this, however, are the details of his struggle. He knows he cannot touch her for he is her pupil and would be violating his employers trust, almost certainly losing his job. More pressing than this, even, is the fact that she is engaged. Socially, as well as morally, confessing his feelings for Laura would be impossible. These details provide an intense look at Walter's internal struggle, which has been and will be felt by many different despairing lovers.

Soon, Walter's struggle can no longer be kept private when Marian realizes that Walter has fallen in love with Laura and kindly advises him to leave Limmeridge. He heeds this advice and journeys to Central America as Laura marries Sir Percival and goes on a 6 month honeymoon to Italy. Collins uses colorful details here, as well, to describe their separation. Walter writes to Marian of his travels through brutal landscapes, often on dangerous missions in rain forests teeming with deadly creates. Laura, meanwhile, is traveling with her new husband through Italy, trying her very best to love him and be his wife, although she is still in love with Walter. Sir Percival, despite Laura's efforts, turns cold and bitter toward her, completely opposite of his prior charming, polite, considerate manner. Their misery in their respective situations creates the terrible tragedy of lovers separated due to the impossibility of the drawing master and his married pupil being together. Walter and Laura's pain at being separated stems from the conflict between their passion and obligations that prevent their marriage, a pain felt by many tortured lovers. 

Despite their strong love, Laura and Walter cannot be together due to their morals and prior responsibilities and obligations. Collins creates the hopelessness of their situations by using intense and beautiful details and long descriptions, emphasizing to the reader the idea of the tragic suffering felt by lovers who cannot be together.